Bill O’Reilly on why he wrote a book on Jesus and why being a loving neighbor can include “taking my neighbor apart.”

by Sally Quinn

As one of the most visible and boisterous voices on all of cable news, Bill O’Reilly’s reputation is defined by his personality and politics more than his faith convictions. But I’ve long known O’Reilly apart from his public persona, and I’ve known there’s more to him than meets the eye.

With the release and success of the historical page-turner Killing Jesus (which followed Killing Lincolnand Killing Kennedy, all co-authored with Martin Dugard), I was eager to explore the spiritual side of a Fox News star. These are the highlights of our conversation.

*

You grew up Catholic. How big of a role did faith play in your home?

I lived in a traditional Irish Catholic home that didn’t deviate very much from what had happened in the past 150 years. We went to church on Sunday, went out to breakfast afterward. There were rituals. My mother wanted me to be an altar boy, so I was. I can compare it to a very working-class, predictable, faith-based situation. It was just: Here are the rules. Here’s what we do. There wasn’t a lot of why in it.

Did you believe in God?

Yes, I bought into the orthodoxy. When you’re a little kid and your parents believe and then the school teaches you, it’s an inculcation. I didn’t challenge it.

And what about Jesus? Did you believe Jesus was the Son of God?

Oh, yes. Sure. Yes, back then in the late ’50s, early ’60s when I was in Catholic school, everybody believed it.

What do you believe now?

Pretty much the same. I’m much more sophisticated in my analysis of Roman Catholicism, but the theology I have no problem believing.

So what is God to you?

There’s an Intelligent Design in the universe that created the human race. And there is a free will component to every individual — you either choose to do good or you choose to do evil. And if you sit it out, then you’re in the evil category. And then, what you choose to do in your lifetime will be rewarded or punished by the Intelligent Designer of the universe.

I don’t want to be remembered. Once I’m gone, I’m gone. I don’t care.

That’s pretty much it. My philosophy is, generally speaking, if everybody followed Jesus’ teachings, then there wouldn’t be any war, wouldn’t be any strife, wouldn’t be any abuse. Everybody would be, not perfect, but certainly in a positive realm.

And if I’m wrong, so what? I’m dead. It doesn’t matter. If it’s a positive while you’re alive to follow the Christian tenets, why would you not do so?

So you believe that Jesus was sent by God and—

I believe the whole narrative. I’m going to accept it, because there’s no reason not to.

I expected that Killing Jesus would be a religious book. In fact, it’s more like a history book. There was no sense of proselytizing.

No, I wanted to stay away [from that]. We have “A History” on the cover. I just wanted to make the world aware that this man existed.

The problem with the secular-progressive movement is it simply cannot accept any people of faith and take them seriously. They’re so condescending and they’re so arrogant that, even though you might be a brilliant person, if you believe, you’re an idiot. So that just knocks out the whole Jesuit organization. It knocks out Thomas Aquinas, Augustine. Everybody is knocked out because they believe. That’s what the genesis of the criticism was.

[P]riests are ridiculous. They don’t make it relevant. I don’t even listen to them. I just do on my own little deal.

When I was honest with 60 Minutes, I said, “Listen, I’m an ordinary guy.” I don’t consider myself to be extraordinary. I have ideas that come to me. And as a Christian, I believe those ideas, when they’re positive, come from the person who created me. And the person who created me is God, and in Christian theology, God is made up of three elements. So of course it would be the Holy Spirit. It’s all logical.

This is what all Christians, if they understand their faith, should believe. It’s not you [who is] creating this monumental book or song or hitting 500 home runs. It’s the talent that you’ve been given and that you’re blessed with. That’s what’s doing it.

So, I tried to get [that] across. I told the truth. I believe that these things that come into my mind — not only Killing Jesus but “The Factor” and the way that I’ve been able to build this whole media empire — is not me. I’m being directed to do it.

Now again, I could be wrong. Maybe it is me. But I don’t think so. I mean, I was an idiot kid, a stupid kid. What happened? All of a sudden I’m a genius? No. I’m being directed.

Why do you think that there is so much sneering and ridicule toward religion by people who don’t believe?

Because they don’t want to be judged. They believe that religious people are judging their behavior, and they don’t want to be judged. They want to do what they want.

Take a guy like Bill Maher. He’s probably the most visible atheist in the American media. Well, Bill Maher does not want to be told what to do. He wants to do whatever he wants. And if it’s take drugs, he wants to be able to do that. If it’s commit adultery, he wants to be able to do that. Whatever it may be, he doesn’t want anybody telling him not to. And the people that would do that would be religious people, so he strikes out against them.

I believe that these things that come into my mind — not only Killing Jesus but “The Factor” and the way that I’ve been able to build this whole media empire — is not me. I’m being directed to do it.

But his thinking is ridiculous. I saw him one time mocking the Virgin Mary in a very crude way, which he does. Am I offended? No. I understand where it’s coming from. But it’s stupid.

I’ve debated the most intellectual atheists in the world. The British guy. All the people who make an industry out of mocking people of faith. I’ve debated them all. And none of them can explain how the universe got here, how everything works so perfectly in nature, how the human body interacts, none of them, they have no clue. Despite all the science and all the technology, everything we have, they don’t know. Yet they have the nerve to mock people who believe that there’s something higher than human intellect?

It’s just appalling to me. But I don’t get into it so much. They’re free to believe what they want as long as they don’t try to hurt people — and some of them do. That’s when I step in.

People hurt other people in the name of religion, too.

Certainly — look at the Muslim situation. And the real rabid Christians. And they’re going to be held accountable for that.

Have you ever had a crisis of faith?

Not really. I’m a simple man. I keep it really simple. Look, I was blessed with a lot of things. Can I give back an hour a week? I mean, is that too much to ask? And that time is well spent for me, by the way. I’m sitting there thinking about spiritual things. You know, getting outside myself and thinking about the big picture, what I can do better, projects that I can launch that will help people. I do that in church.

I don’t have any problem with people disliking me, and I’ll tell you why: Who was the most hated person in Judea 2,000 years ago?

And then I read the Scriptures. I read them and I think about them and then, when the priest is boring me into shreds — and these priests are ridiculous. They don’t make it relevant. I don’t even listen to them. I just do on my own little deal. But I think it’s worth an hour a week for me to get out of myself and go into the church. I like the whole ritual. I think it’s worthy. I think it’s good for me. And I’ve never in one part of my life not tried to get to church every Sunday.

You said you pray every night. What kind of prayers?

Just standard prayers. If there’s a bad thing happening, I’ll think about it and try to say, Give me a little inspiration here on how to handle this thing. I try to be humble enough to say, Look, I don’t have it right now and I need some help. And it usually comes.

You dedicated your book to those who love their neighbors as themselves. I thought a lot of the O’Reilly haters would be surprised to see that dedication.

They’ll never read it, though. The O’Reilly haters are pretty much the people that have no idea what I do. And I like that — I mean, I don’t have any problem with people disliking me, and I’ll tell you why. I’m not comparing myself, but who was the most hated person in Judea 2,000 years ago?

Many, many loved him, but just as many despised him. They’re always going to do that. If you speak your mind, you’re going to have some who like you and some who hate you.

What about you and your book dedication? Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

I’m the biggest sinner on the block, so I’m kind of in a difficult area saying what I do and don’t do. If you’re a Christian, you’re supposed to love the evildoers. If they do something bad to you, then you’re supposed to still love them.

I don’t do that. I’m a warrior. I don’t turn the cheek. I go after you if I think you’re hurting people. But I think that’s loving your neighbor.

See, by getting Jessica’s Law passed in 45 out of 50 states — and “The Factor” did that — I think that’s loving my neighbor. I’m taking these predators off the street. I’m not turning the cheek on them. I’m going after them. I think that’s my role. I’m a warrior/defender.

If there weren’t warriors to defend, then we would have been overrun a long time ago by the Third Reich, right? So it’s not as simple as what it’s sometimes made out to be. I’m comfortable in my role, but I would never say I’m the guy who loves my neighbor all the time, because sometimes I’m taking my neighbor apart. It’s kind of complicated.

You say you’re the biggest sinner of all. What are your sins?

Everything. I’m a volatile guy. I’m not a Holy Roller. I’m not a malicious guy, but I’m like everybody else. I’m fallible. I’m not going to tell you, Sally Quinn, what my sins are. But I’m certainly fallible and I don’t put myself up as any paragon of virtue.

When you’re going after somebody as a warrior, do you sometimes pull back and think, Maybe I’m being too tough on this person?

That’s a good question. My staff is under strict orders: we don’t go [after someone] unless we’re 100% sure. So I don’t have anything on my conscience in that realm. In 18 years, I haven’t had to retract or apologize to anybody other than one time we took something off a web site that was incomplete.

If there were no God, there would be some people who couldn’t do anything, but every human being, even people who are damaged, even people who have birth defects, Down syndrome, whatever it may be, everybody has a talent. Everybody.

When you’re interviewing somebody like Obama, and you’re asking tough questions, do you see them as an adversary?

Depends what the interview is. With the Obama situation, I respect the president, but my job is to get as much information out of him as I can. With everybody else, and I mean everybody — I mean, I couldn’t do it with the pope, but besides the pope and President Obama — there’s nobody on earth where I would say [to myself], “Well, you can’t be assertive, you can’t be rude.” Those are the two people I can’t be rude to because of the office.

You come in and you start to lie or dance, I’m going to come after you. But with the president it’s different, because you have to respect the office. And I do. I respect him. But I’m not going to let him control the interview. That’s not happening.

Have you ever been to a silent retreat?

I haven’t. I’ve never been to a psychiatrist. I’ve never been to an analyst. I’ve never been to a silent retreat. I’m just not that introspective in the sense that I don’t do yoga, I don’t do TM [Transcendental Meditation]. I’m more active. But I respect people who do all that. It’s just not my style.

I don’t need a lot of help, so if I want to be silent, I’ll be silent by myself. I don’t have to go someplace.

Who do you admire?

I admire people who are making $40,000 a year and living an honest life. Life is hard. I don’t like phonies. I don’t like liars. I don’t like narcissists. I like the regular folks.

How would you like to be remembered?

I don’t want to be remembered. Once I’m gone, I’m gone. I don’t care.

Are you afraid of dying?

No, not at all. My time is up, I’m going.

Most people are looking for some kind of meaning in their lives. What gives you the most meaning in your life?

You find something that you like. Everybody’s born with talents, which is another reason I believe in God. If there were no God, there would be some people who couldn’t do anything, but every human being, even people who are damaged, even people who have birth defects, Down syndrome, whatever it may be, everybody has a talent. Everybody. So you find out what that talent is, and usually it corresponds to what you like to do. Then you work at that talent. You develop the talent. You make a living from the talent. That’s the key to having a meaningful life on the professional level.

My father was a very funny guy. I mean, he was hysterical. But he never used that talent and he was a low-level accountant. He didn’t make a lot of money and he was miserable. He’d go to work. He had to support his family, but he didn’t like his job. And I said to myself, I’m never going to be like that. I stuck to it.

Do you think that you’ll ever stop?

Yes, I do. I’m tired now, so I’ve got to cut it back soon. I just don’t know when that will be.

Some years ago, close to 30 years ago, I was a Eucharistic Minister at the parish Mr. O’Reilly attended and gave him the host on several occasions. My memory is that at least some of those occasions were daily mass. I believe he’s genuine.

Factory_Hag

About the turning the other cheek and the warrior business. I’ll give you all an old Irish joke we used to tell on ourselves.
When the Lord told us Irish to turn the other cheek, he didn’t make it clear WHOSE cheek to turn, so we picked the other guy’s.

lingary

How abput all the sneering and ridiculle from the religious towards those who do not believe? Why is it always the secular who are spoken about with such derision especially from the holier-than-thpu Bill O’Reilly? It always amazes me when people are completely unaware of their own hypocrisy.

http://www.SuperiorPolitics.Com/ SuperiorPoliticsDotCom

Being an agnostic, I can say that you leftists are indeed condescending and arrogant towards people of faith. I don’t always agree with the religious rights views, but the percentage of them being nasty towards the left is quite small. On the other hand, the filth that spews from the lefts mouths regarding ANYTHING that the right says is all crap.

lingary

You have been brain washed by the likes of FoxNewsLand and Rush Limbaugh. That anyone with an IQ over 9 cannot see how often and how nastily the right spews their hate, and not just abput religion, is just living in the blessed state of denial.

http://www.SuperiorPolitics.Com/ SuperiorPoliticsDotCom

Leftist flakes like you make me laugh. I’m no Republican, nor do I listen to Rush for talking points. You can’t believe people think for themselves and form a different opinion than you, so you accuse them of being Fox News drones. That’s the most tired, overused excuse in the liberal handbook. If you’re going to comment on why you think I’m wrong, at least think of something original to say instead of spewing the same worn out line for the 100 millionth time.

lingary

I don’t want to be lied to… I prefer truth and facts even if I don’t like what they have to say. Viewers of Fox News, in a recent poll, was voted the show with the least informed viewers of cable news shows. Rush Limbaugh would not survive a fact checking site. If confirmation bias is your thing, then these shows are for you. Those of us who want truth and facts would not consider listenting to the likes of a Rush Limbaugh. And by the way. I have often tuned into Rush’s show to see if my opinion is wrong… I am never disappointed.

saneandreasonable

You failed to even confront what the poster posed to you.

Conservatives do have High IQ’s and education and have come to different conclusions about politics and world view but you fail to see that. You are not very good at discourse when people disagree with you, hence the dragging out of “Rush” or “fox news” or the tired old “Koch Brothers” crapola. I wonder who it is that cannot think critically?

Hominid

Projection – you Lib-Leftists are great at it.

Hominid

OReilly is a muddle headed narcissist. On his show, he makes everything about himself. Uninformative clap-trap and boring.

gwhh

I assumed this man also calls himself a catholic like me

LoJoFo

Good interview. Thanks.

naxet1

Interesting interview and I learned some things I did not know about Bill’s faith walk. I think God is directing and using him in the sphere of communications, sometimes in too much a prideful manner. However, I have gained new respect for his candid responses to the questions and for proclaiming his faith in God the Father , God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit ! I am old enough to remember when being a believer in Christ Jesus was considered a good thing in America and loving your neighbor as yourself is a strong tenet. Sadly, the evil one is changing our nation but his power is temporary and Christ will return to rule and reign over the earth!

Doug Wilkening

OK, I’ll swallow hard and accept that he’s a dear brother in Christ. But that doesn’t mean I have to like his politics or his show.

Rational Conclusions

Bottom line: Jesus was just another human who is being recycled to eventual star dust just like the rest of us!!!!

BooBooGlass

You’re, uh, “certain” of that, I’m sure.

Rational Conclusions

For the new members:

Saving Christians from the Resurrection Con Game:

From that famous passage: In 1 Corinthians 15 St. Paul reasoned, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

Even now Catholic/Christian professors of theology are questioning the bodily resurrection of the simple, preacher man aka Jesus.

To wit;

From a major Catholic university’s theology professor’s grad school white-board notes:

“Heaven is a Spirit state or spiritual reality of union with God in love, without earthly – earth bound distractions.
Jesus and Mary’s bodies are therefore not in Heaven.

Most believe that it to mean that the personal spiritual self that survives death is in continuity with the self we were while living on earth as an embodied person.

Again, the physical Resurrection (meaning a resuscitated corpse returning to life), Ascension (of Jesus’ crucified corpse), and Assumption (Mary’s corpse) into heaven did not take place.

The Ascension symbolizes the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the beginning of the Church.

Only Luke’s Gospel records it. The Assumption ties Jesus’ mission to Pentecost and missionary activity of Jesus’ followers The Assumption has multiple layers of symbolism, some are related to Mary’s special role as “Christ bearer” (theotokos). It does not seem fitting that Mary, the body of Jesus’ Virgin-Mother (another biblically based symbol found in Luke 1) would be derived by worms upon her death. Mary’s assumption also shows God’s positive regard, not only for Christ’s male body, but also for female bodies.” ”

“In three controversial Wednesday Audiences, Pope John Paul II pointed out that the essential characteristic of heaven, hell or purgatory is that they are states of being of a spirit (angel/demon) or human soul, rather than places, as commonly perceived and represented in human language. This language of place is, according to the Pope, inadequate to describe the realities involved, since it is tied to the temporal order in which this world and we exist. In this he is applying the philosophical categories used by the Church in her theology and saying what St. Thomas Aquinas said long before him.”
…

With respect to rising from the dead, we also have this account:

o An added note: As per R.B. Stewart in his introduction to the recent book, The Resurrection of Jesus, Crossan and Wright in Dialogue,
o
p.4
o “Reimarus (1774-1778) posits that Jesus became sidetracked by embracing a political position, sought to force God’s hand and that he died alone deserted by his disciples. What began as a call for repentance ended up as a misguided attempt to usher in the earthly political kingdom of God. After Jesus’ failure and death, his disciples stole his body and declared his resurrection in order to maintain their financial security and ensure themselves some standing.”

o p.168. by Ted Peters:
Even so, asking historical questions is our responsibility. Did Jesus really rise from the tomb? Is it necessary to have been raised from the tomb and to appear to his disciples in order to explain the rise of early church and the transcription of the bible? Crossan answers no, Wright answers, yes. ”

o So where are the bones”? As per Professor Crossan’s analyses in his many books, the body of Jesus would have ended up in the mass graves of the crucified, eaten by wild dogs, covered with lime in a shallow grave, or under a pile of stones.
•

saneandreasonable

Liberal Theologians all. The apostles died awful deaths spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. They believe he rose from the deal physically. The tired old claim that the disciples stole his body and then they died to protect their lie? Right. Very foolish on your part to believe such nonsense.

Rational Conclusions

Obviously, you missed the other potential outcomes of Jesus’ body with the most believable being his body was treated like others who violated Roman law.

Regarding martyrdom, Muslim “martyrs” die everyday in their belief that martyrdom will result in their immediate entry into Islam’s version of heaven.

Regarding contemporary theologians, you might want to read the studies listed at
earlychristianwritings- theories- to include those of who still hold on to the myths of current Christianity e.g. Luke Johnson and NT Wright. Web page addresses are not allowed on this blog but Google or Bing will take you to the correct pages.

saneandreasonable

I have researched all of that in the past. Still convinced that jesus is the son of God that died for the sins of every living being on this planet, human that is. Islam is a false religion that is demonically controlled, that is for sure. the difference is that the disciples died because they realized the LOVE of Jesus Christ and that God sent him to the world because he loves us. the god of islam is one of submission with no love. YOU apparently missed the fact that Jesus ‘ body was never found. I will take my “chances ” with Christ. You can wallow in your skepticism.

Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, probably never existed. Nor did Moses. The entire Exodus story as recounted in the Bible probably never occurred. The same is true of the tumbling of the walls of Jericho. And David, far from being the fearless king who built Jerusalem into a mighty capital, was more likely a provincial leader whose reputation was later magnified to provide a rallying point for a fledgling nation.

Such startling propositions – the product of findings by archaeologists digging in Israel and its environs over the last 25 years – have gained wide acceptance among non-Orthodox rabbis. But there has been no attempt to disseminate these ideas or to discuss them with the laity – until now.

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which represents the 1.5 million Conservative Jews in the United States, has just issued a new Torah and commentary, the first for Conservatives in more than 60 years. Called “Etz Hayim” (“Tree of Life” in Hebrew), it offers an interpretation that incorporates the latest findings from archaeology, philology, anthropology and the study of ancient cultures. To the editors who worked on the book, it represents one of the boldest efforts ever to introduce into the religious mainstream a view of the Bible as a human rather than divine docu-ment. “
prob•a•bly
Adverb: Almost certainly; as far as one knows or can tell.

RocksCryOut

Precisely, saneandreasonable. People may die for what they think is the truth, but they will not die a torturous, painful, humiliating death for what they know is a lie. If the resurrection was a lie the disciples certainly knew it, yet they went to their graves, most tortured to death for their beliefs, because they were convinced of the resurrection’s veracity.

Naysayers are quite willing to point out conspiracy theories as bunk because of the simple fact that conspiracies are notoriously delicate; the more people involved, the more likely one of the conspirators will recant and the conspiracy thus falls apart of it’s own weight. Yet when it comes to the gospel story the very same people will propose that the disciples, along with the primitive church, were able to pull off the greatest conspiracy of all time. All of them ran and hid when their leader was executed. The most prominent of them denied he even knew Jesus.

Yeah. That group of losers held together a conspiracy this monumental? Not possible.

Jim Gutel

Great interview. Great questions. Too bad Sally Quinn no longer appears on The Factor.

ZEPHANIAH54321

How could you get the people of a nation to destroy themselves?

You could give them everything they think they need or want, especially food. Then neglect to warn them about the dangers of indulging appetites, intemperance, excess. MATT 23: 25

The very cause of the churches spiritual blindness, lack of insight and discernment.

OR did it know what I’m about to tell you?

Where in the HOLY BIBLE does it say that food to some is an idol, discreetly? Wisdom of Solomon 13: 11 And you could also let hypocrisy go unchecked. How’s the weather? Seems it was known that it would be a hot topic in the age where living in.

What would make a super storm a perfect storm? Some called it sandy. MATT 7: 26 The Old Testament called it a whirlwind. JER 23: 19 If you ever manage to anger a Loving GOD JESUS , would you be able to pacify it? Do you know what a theocracy is ? PSALMS 67:4 BE patient. Have you ever heard the saying, a word to the wise? Look it up.

That’s because it would be a waste of time to share a warning with a fool. And how could decent people avoid disaster if even they avoid a warning? Who are the people you care about in life? How many have you taken time to warn? The Gospels also mentions hypocrisy and weather. MATT 16 , LUKE 12:54 Could the weight of a storm or the seasons of the mind reveal the depths of the sin?

THE Old Testament also speaks about blind watchmen who are unable to bark, ( or warn the people.) ISAIAH 56: 10 Why?Here’s one definition of hypocrisy, it almost sounds like a woman’s point of view? The word hypocrite was used originally of Greek actors on stage, people who played a role expertly, often wearing masks.

But it came to be applied to anyone who covered up his true self and pretended to be something he was not. That is what human wisdom does. It is deceptive, evasive and clever at concealing it’s real character, aims and motives. The person who uses it answers you in ambiguous, dubious, confusing, and questionable terms so you cannot pin him down and know exactly what he is like, what he is thinking or what he is after.

He lives with his guard up and his mask on, seldom letting you know what he is really feeling. It is nearly impossible to develop any kind of mutually satisfying relationship with him. End of definition. Make’s you wonder how she copes with it? But here’s another it’s called the, bait and switch, look it up.

What’s been seen going on in the church or churches is one of the biggest and most deceitful, treacherous and fraudulent scams that’s probably ever been seen before.

And to get a better idea of what’s been going on in the churches. Do a word study of the word, treacherous. Use a strong’s concordance. And the only reason it went on as long as it did is because of the people’s generosity. Would your contribution to society be to feed hypocrisy? It’s like kindling a fire. What value has any church put on the HOLY BIBLE?

The good seed. HOW many other books has it encouraged you to read? I’ve seen a lot that have put very little faith in THE HOLY BIBLE. And I’ve already heard how many other books it’s tried to sell you that confirms that. PSALMS 124: 7

The reason I say that is, some churches take advantage of the people’s desire to worship THE LORD JESUS, and their hopes of salvation.

But to them THE LORD JESUS, the HOLY BIBLE and salvation are tools used to lure you to a church. Then the bait and switch takes place. With all the other sayings and idols, especially mary and paul, and all the other books, and the eating and drinking and rising to play goes on. Would that be hard to prove? Wait and see what it does today.

And, A song for the atheist , can’t keep a good man down, by newsong. Type it on yahoo and listen. What is fatalism ? A view that undermines personal responsibility

If there’s a global initiative , then America would have to, FALL, Then FALL , in line. What is the bigger picture ?

Words of John Adams, Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. Check out , Providenceforum org. Never ask people who lack morals to interpret a moral document.

Live outside those morals and values then the freedoms you are demanding are not yours to be had.

And before giving a thumbs up or down you may want to wait for the next comment.
Or Click on user name and read it before I post it.

Thomas Carcaterra

Did Sally Quinn ask Bill O’Reilly, whether he believes that everyone believes in the same God, no matter what religion?
If Bill O’Reilly believes that every religion worships the same God, he has the same faith as the atheist, who believes that God is located in one’s heart.

bm

BOR, the man of wayward mind!

StJohnGumby

It’s nice to read or listen to an interview where the subject of the interview is not constantly interrupted. That’s why I read this article, and why I don’t watch Bill O’Reilly.

GoodBerean

Softball interview; nothing about O’Reilly’s divorce; the law suit against him for sexual harassment (details at “The Smoking Gun” site.) He’s a pompous, self-centered egomaniac who thinks his “good works” will save him. They won’t.